A hapless drifter (Nicolas Cage, this time in a non-comic variation on his innocent dupe persona) turns up in a small town with nothing but his wits to keep him going.
Vengeful local Wayne Brown (JT Walsh) with a bitter grudge mistakes the loner for a hitman and offers him a hefty sum to murder Brown’s wife, Suzanne (Lara Flynn Boyle).
The reluctant killer intends to take the money and run – a dangerous plan that backfires when the real killer – “Lyle from Dallas” (the demonic Dennis Hopper) – turns up.
The plot twists and turns deliciously, and John Dahl’s deft direction strikes a clever balance between knowing humour and genuine suspense. The performances are almost uniformly good, with only Boyle’s unconvincing femme fatale letting the side down.
Michael Williams
Nicolas Cage Wayne Brown
J T Walsh Suzanne Brown
Lara Flynn Boyle Lyle
Dennis Hopper Jim
Craig Reay Mr Johnson
Vance Johnson Howard
Robert Apel Kurt
Dale Gibson
Director
John Dahl
Video
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